Alarm switch



Inventor A. C-oH/vy/v 2 Sheet-Sheat 2 w. A. @QRNY ALARM SWITCH FiledFeb, 18, 1931 mac 2 7," 193 5 A llomey Another object Patented Dec. 27,1932 uurrao ST -res PATENT OFFICE a. com, or mew YORK, N. Y. I

- Application filed February 18, 1931. Serial No. 516,748.

This invention relates to improvements in alarmswitches, and moreparticularly to such devices for use in connection with money drawers. I

The primary object of the invention is to provide an attachment for cashregister and other ln'nds of money drawers in which anaudible and/orvisible alarm is set off should an attempt be madetoopen the drawer byone unfamiliar with the operation thereof. It will therefore be apparentthat thefts from drawers containing mone or other valuables may bedetected and the t ieves caught in the attempt.

to provide a mono drawer alarm whic may beapplied to'cash registers andmoney drawersnow in use without requiring alterations in theconstruction thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thecertain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts,, theessential features of which are.

hereinafter; fully described, are particularly pointed outin theappended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich: I a

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewwith parts in section showing myinvention in use. Figure. 2.is an end elevational view of a cash-jregister equipped with my invention, and showing the drawer partiallyopen position.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the houseenclosing certain of 1 the working parts of my invention, and showingthe cash register drawer in closed position.

Figure4 is a fra'gmentary'top plan view of a cash register with thehousing of the invention in horizontal section.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the electrical switch.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 10designates a counter or like support on which a cash register 11 issupported, while 12 designates a wall of a building which supports'acasing 13 on the by screws or the like 17.

Mounted within the housing 14 and supported from one of the wallsthereof adjacent the rear end is an electric control switch 18 which isof the wellknown'construction and preferably of the snap type wherein api'voted manipulatingmember 19 is mounted in a block of insulation 20. Aspring 21 has one end connected to the inner end of the manipulatingmember 19 and its opposite end seated against the bight portion of acrank 22, which has its bearings'in the block 20, while fixedly securedto one of the trunnions of the crank is a cross contact arm 23 adaptedto make contact when the switch is in on position with spaced contactmembers 24, also fixed to the .block 20. As before stated, the switch isof the well known construction wherein movement is transmitted from themanipulating member 19 to the contact arms 23 through the spring 21 andcrank 22. In other words, as the point of connection between the spring21 and the inner end of the manipulating member 19 is moved off center,the contact arm 23 will be moved into and out of engagement with thefixed contact 24,

depending of course upon whether the manipulating member is moved to onor off position.

Mounted within the housing 14 and ex- A tending lengthwise thereof is acatch member 24, the same being freely slidable through bearings orpartitions-25. The rear end of the member 24 is rovided with anelongated slot 26 through w ich the manipulating end 19 of the electricswitch extends, while the forward end of the said member is providedwith an upwardly inclined face 27, and with a shoulder 28. A spring 29is interposed between the bottom wall of the casing 14 and the underside of the arm 24 to normally po- 10G I 24. This engagement of theparts 39 and 38 sition the said arm in a predetermined plane, but whichoutward movement of the arm is limited by a stop pin 30 extending fromopposite sides of an upwardly extending manipulating arm 31, which isformed integral with the member 24. The arm 31 extends through a slot 32provided in the top wall an opening 38 in the front wall of the housing.

14 and terminates in an angularly disposed shoulder or finger 39 whichis always disposed on a plane just above the plane of the member 24 whenthe said member isin normal position. By this arrangement, the angularfinger or stop 39 will be disposed in the path of the shoulder 28 on thecatch member 24 for a purpose to be presently explained.

The electric switch 18 is in an electric circuit with an electric bell40 and with a signal light 4] both of which are contained within thecasing 13, although a window may be provided in the casing for visiblydisplaying the lights 41.

In operation, assume that the-cash .drawer 34 of the cash register is inclosed position, and the parts are in normal position as best seen inFigure 3 of the drawings. The cashier or person authorized to operatethe cash register when wishing to gain access to the contents of thedrawer 34 will prior to the o eration of the cash register, push downwarupon the knob 33 which will of course move the shoulder- 28 of the catchmember 24 out of the path of the finger 39 provided on the inner end ofthe arm 37 which arm is in turn connected to the drawer 34. By so doing,the drawer 34 will open in the usual inannerwithout in any way affectingthe operation of the alarm device. In the event that the cash registeris operated by one unfamiliar with the workings of the alarm device andassuming that the parts are as shown in Figure 3, it will be apparentthat unless the knob 33 is pushed downward, the money drawer 34 in itsoutward movementwill cause .the finger 39 to engage the shoulder 28provided on the forward end of the member wilL cause the member 24 tobe; drawn forward as it will be appreciated that the money .the cash reister;

drawers of cash registers and the like are spring actuated toautomatically move'the same to open position upon manipulation of Thusoutward movement of the drawer 34 as before mentioned will exert a pullupon the member 24. and which pull is transmitted to the manipulatingmember 19 of the electric switch 18 and will there-' fore cause theswitch to snap to an on position, thus causing the contact member 23 tobridge the contacts 34 and close the electric circuit in which the bell40 and light 41 are arranged. Both an audible and visible signal will begiven so that an attempt of robbery of the contents of the money drawerwill be frustrated. After the alarm is sounded, the parts may bereturned to former position by pushing rearwardly upon the. knob 33 toturn the switch to an off position, and upon closing of the money drawer34, the finger 39 will ride up the inclined face 27 so as to be disposedbehind the shoulder 28. It will of course be understood that the finger39 also rides up the'inclined face 27 on each actuation of the drawer 34from open to closed position.

While I have shown and described what I deem to he the most desirableembodiment of my invention. it Will'be understood that various changesin construction may be resorted to if desired, and I do not limit myselfto any thing less than the whole of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim-as new and desire tosecure by Lettors Patent is 1. In combination with a support having adrawer slidably mounted therein, a housing mounted on said support, anarm secured to said drawer and extending into said housing. a shoulderon the free end of said arm, an electric circuit control switch mountedwithin'said housing having a pivoted actuating member, a catch memberloosely connected to said actuating member, a shoulder formed on thefree end of said catch member, spring means acting upon said catchmember to dispose said shoulder thereon in the path of the shoulder onsaid arm, and a manipulating element carried bysaid catch member andextending exteriorly of said housing by which said catch member may bemoved against the action of said spring means to dispose the shoulderthereon out of the path of the shoulder on said arm.

2. In combination with "a support having a drawer slidably mountedthereima housing mounted on said support, an arm secured to said drawerand extending into said housing, a shoulder on the/free end of said arm,an electric circuit control switch mounted within said housing having apivoted actuating member. a catch member loosely connected to saidactuating member, ashoulder formed on the free end of said catch member,spring means acting upon said catch member to dispose said shoulderthereon in the path of the shoulder on said arm. and a manipulatingelement fixedly carried by said catch member and extending 'exteriorlyof said housing by which said catch member may be moved against theaction of said spring means to dispose the. shoulder thereon out of thepath I of the shoulder on said arm, the ezgtreme free end of said catchmember being provided with an inclined face to be engaged by theshoulder on said arm when moving said drawer from a fully open positiontoclosed position.

I 3. An alarm actuating device for use in 7 connection with a slidabledrawer comprising a housing, an electric control switch 10 mountedwithin said housing and having a pivoted manipulating member, a catchmember mounted in said housing and havingone end loosely connected tosaid switch actuating member, a shoulder providedion the front end,otsaid catch member, a manipulating arm fixed to and extending at an"angle from said catch member and passing exteriorly through a slot insaid housing, a spring acting upon said catch member to force saidmanipulating arm outwardly of said housing, stop means :for limiting theoutward movement of said manipulating arm to nor mallywposition saidshoulder on a predetermined plane, and an actuating arm adapted to befixedly connected to a. cash drawer and slidable through a wall of saidhousing, the inner end of said actuating arm being pro vided with anangularly disposed finger for engagement with said shoulder upon outwardmovement of said actuating arm relative to said housing.

In testimony'whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM A; CORNYN.

